Not A Single Seat Will Be Reduced In Any Southern State: Amit Shah On Delimitation

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday (26 February) reaffirmed that the southern states would not lose even a single Parliamentary seat due to the impending delimitation exercise, the Indian Express reported.

His remarks came during the inauguration of BJP offices in Coimbatore, Tiruvannamalai, and Ramanathapuram, where he directly addressed concerns raised by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin.

"Today a meeting will be held to ensure the South does not suffer on account of delimitation. The public in Tamil Nadu is disturbed. This is why the Tamil Nadu CM (M K Stalin) and his son (Udhayanidhi Stalin) are trying to distract the public. Mr Stalin, the Modi government has made it clear in Lok Sabha that after delimitation, on pro rata basis, not a single seat will be reduced in any Southern state. And I want to reassure the public of South India that Modi ji has kept your interest in mind to make sure that not even one seat is reduced pro rata. And whatever increase is there, Southern states will get a fair share, there is no reason to doubt this," Shah stated.

His comments were a direct rebuttal to Stalin’s claims a day earlier, in which the Tamil Nadu CM had warned that the state could lose up to 8 of its 39 Lok Sabha seats due to delimitation, potentially reducing its representation to 31.

Stalin had described the process as a "sword hanging over the head of South India," warning of decreased political influence for the region.

Shah did not mince words in his response, accusing Stalin of deliberately misleading the people of Tamil Nadu for political gain.

"You are lying to Tamil people and misleading them with false claims about delimitation. I demand your reply, why are you making these false claims?" he said.

Beyond delimitation, the Home Minister launched a scathing attack on the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), criticising its governance record and alleging rampant corruption.

"DMK is one party with a master’s degree in corruption," he alleged.

He also raised concerns over Tamil Nadu’s security situation, stating, "Tamil Nadu’s law and order standards are going low compared to other states."

Positioning the upcoming 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections as a crucial moment, Shah called upon BJP workers to overthrow the DMK and usher in an NDA government in the state.

"Time has come, DMK’s anti-people, anti-national government should be sent out of power," he asserted.

"This NDA government we will establish here should be a new beginning. All separatist, divisive ideologies should be eliminated. All anti-national forces should be destroyed here," he said.

Also Read: Chennai International Airport Set For Major Upgrade, New Terminal Opening Set For March 2026